GCSE CHEMISTRY - What are the Properties and Uses of Nanoparticles? - How is Nano Silver used in Medicine?

What are the Properties and Uses of Nanoparticles?

Nanoparticles have a
very large surface area for their size or volume.

This gives them different properties and uses compared to
larger materials which are made from the same substance.

Nanoparticles are used
in sunscreens, sports equipment, drug delivery
coatings and medicine (see silver below).
Future uses include catalysts, computers and building materials.

Silver in Medicine.

Silver has been used historically for both jewellery and medicine.
Silver has been known to have both an anti-bacterial property
and an anti-fungal property.
Anti-bacterial means that it kills bacteria (or stops them reproducing).
Anti-fungal means that it kills fungi (or stops them reproducing).
For over 2000 years silver has been used to purify drinking water
and today some people use water filters which contain silver.

Before the development of antibiotics a thin layer
of silver was applied to cuts and wounds
to prevent infection and speed up the healing process.
An antibiotic is a substance that kills bacteria
(or stops them reproducing).
In recent years there has been an increase in
the number of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
This means that they are no longer killed by antibiotics.
Silver is now being used more to prevent infection.

Nano silver.

Nano silver is the name given to nanoparticles of silver.
Only a very thin coating of nano silver needs to be used.
The very high surface area of this type of coating
gives a big improvement in the properties of silver
that prevent bacterial or fungal growth.
Nano silver is used in dressings for injuries
caused by burns, and wounds caused by surgery.

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